Judge Puts Hold on White House Plan to Warn Employers About Hiring Illegals

A federal judge has put a halt on a planned White House crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants while she considers a lawsuit filed by the AFL-CIO claiming the move would harm citizens and those working in the U.S. legally, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney, bars the Department of Homeland Security from sending mail notices to 140,000 employers about suspect Social Security numbers.

The AFL-CIO and the American Civil Liberties Union say that DHS is going beyond its mandate to enforce immigration laws and is misusing the Social Security Administration’s database, according to the report.

"We're disappointed by the delay and expect to prevail once the court has the benefit of full briefing and argument," DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner said.

She added that Homeland Security will continue other immigration enforcement programs.

The ruling allows Judge Chesney to review the lawsuit before issuing a decision on the DHS plan. A hearing on the case has been set for Oct. 1.